Power-transmitting mechanism.



J. 0. SCHWARTZ.

POWER TRANSMITTING MEGHANISM.

APPLICATION .FILED PEB. 1o, 1910.

@4:9 379 Patented May 30, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. 0. SCHWARTZ. POWER TRANSMITTING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILEDA PEB.1o, 1.910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2,

Patented May 30, 1911.

J. 0. SCHWARTZ.

POWER TRANSMITTING MEGHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED PEB. 10, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Patented May 30, 19H.

ne a. 1

POWER-TRANSMITTING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 30, 1911.

Application led February 10, 1910. Serial No. 543,011.

.To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN O. SCHWARTZ, a citizen of the United States,residing at Hope, in the county of Bartholomew and State of Indiana,have invented new and useful Improvements in Power-TransmittingMechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a power transmitting mechanism of that typeincluding frictionally engaged elements or cones for transmitting powerfrom the driving to the driven shaft and while the mechanism isespecially adapted for automobiles, it is not necessary to limit it tothis use.

The invention has for one of its objects to improve and simplify theconstruction and operation of devices of this character so as to becomparatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture and keep in repair,reliable and eiiicient in use and adapted to be controlled with facilityfor changing the speed of propulsion and changing t-he direction oftravel.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a novel arrangementof friction cones and actuating means for shifting the cones to vary thespeed and for releasing the cones from each other without stopping theengine when it is desired to stop the car or to coast.

Vith these objects in view, and others as will appear as the descriptionproceeds, the invention comprises the various novel features ofconstruction and arrangement of parts which will be more fully describedhereinafter and set forth with particularity in the claims appendedhereto.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one embodiment of theinvention; Figure 1 is a plan view of the power transmitting mechanism.Fig. 2 is a side view thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectiontaken on line 8 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a transverse section on line 4 4of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the reversing cone side of themechanism. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the cone shifting mechanism.Fig. 'T is a perspective view of the reverse cone actuating means. Fig.8 is a perspective View of the means for releasing the main cones fromeach other.

Similar reference characters are employed to designate correspondingparts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the frame of the vehicle orother apparat-us for which the power transmitting mechanism is used andmounted on this frame is an engine driven shaft 1, which rotates inbearings 2, and on the shaft is a driving cone 8, preferably made offiber and of frusto-conical form, the taper of which depends upon thespeed ratios desired. Directly under this shaft 1 is a driven shaft 4,mounted in bearings 5, on the frame A and provided with a cone 6 ofsubstantially the same shape as the cone 3, but it is preferably facedwith aluminum 7 with which the upper cone frictionally engages. Thecones are feathered to their respective shafts and can slidelongitudinally thereon, the shafts being disposed at an angle to eachother so that the cones will be held in engagement by both being urgedtoward the apex of the angle, formed by the shafts, and furthermore, thedisposition of the shafts is such that the cones can be movedlongitudinally, one to the front and the other to the rear, while theirperipheral faces will be disposed parallel and in contact during theoperation. Mounted on the frame A in parallel relation to the shaft 1,is a guiderod 8, on which slides a sleeve 9, which car- -ries a shipperarm 10, which latter has its outer extremity engaged in an annulargrooved hub or collar 11 on the larger end of the driving cone. Disposedunder the guide-rod 8 is a second guide-rod 12, which is disposedparallel with and at one side of the driven shaft 4, and on this rod isanother cone shifting device similar to that for the driving cone. Therear and forward ends of the sleeves 9, of the respective cone shiftingdevices are connected by links 13 with the upper and lower ends of arocker 14, which rocker is secured to a horizontal transverselyextending rock shaft 15, which is mounted on a secondary frame orcarrier designated generally by C. rfhe shaft 15 has one end terminatingat the side of the vehicle and is equipped with an operating lever 16that moves back and forth over a tooth sector 17, to which it can belocked by a latch device 18, in any position, the lever being used forchanging this speed of travel.

lVhen the lever is in forward position, the cones are engagedsubstantially their entire length and the vehiclepropelled at itsmaximum speed and by shifting the lever rearwardly, the upper or drivingcone is moved rearwardly and the lower or driven cone is movedforwardly, so that the speed ratio is changed to effect a lower speed ofrotation of the driven shaft. lt will thus be seen that the speed can bechanged from minimum to maximum or vice-versa without stopping theengine or unclutching it from the driving shaft.

In order to hold the cones in frictional engagement with each other, thesecondary frame or carrier is urged bodily in a forward direction andoperates through the cone shifting devices to simultaneously move thecones forwardly or toward the apex of the triangle formed by the drivingand driven shafts, thus bringing` the cones toward each other. For thispurpose, the frame C is provided with parallel supporting' members 19,to slide in fixed bearings 2O o-n the main frame A and on the forwardends of the members 19 are springs 21, which are confined betweenretaining' and tensioning adjusting` nuts 22, on the said members andthe adjacent bearings 20, so that the springs will tend to urge thesupplemental frame or carrier C forwardly, the said frame forming thesupport for the change speed shifting mechanism connected with thecones. l/Vhen it is desired to release the cones, the rearward movementis imparted to the frame or carrier C against the tension of the springs21. This is effected by a lever pedal 23, mounted on the main frame Aand connected by a link or rod 24 with the rocker 25 fulcrumed on themain frame at a point under the carrier, so that the upper end of therocker can engage with the carrier or some suitable part mountedthereon, such as, for instance, the rock shaft 15 for imparting movementto the carrier. Cn the pedal 23, is a spring-pressed foot released latch26 arranged to engage a catch or equivalent device 27 on the main frame.l/Vhen the cones are engaging each other for propelling the vehicle, thelatch is released from the catch 27, and the tension of the springs 21,operates through the carrier C and cone shifting devices to hold thecones engaged.

At the side of the main cones 3 and G opposite from the change speedmechanism is a reversing cone 28 that is journaled in upwardly extendingarms 29 on the rock shaft 30 suitably supported on the main frame. Therear end of the rock shaft has an upwardly extending arm or crank 31,which is connected with a spring 32 that operates to hold the reversingcone away from the main cones. The tension of this spring is opposedwhenever it is desired to reverse the direction of travel by theoperator pressing a pedal 33, which is connected by a link 34 to abellcrank lever 35, on the main frame, which lever is in turn connectedby a link 3G with the crank arm 31 of the rock shaft 30. llVhen thevehicle is driven forwardly, and itis desired to reverse the directionof travel, the operator rst presses the pedal 23 forwardly to disengagethe main cones from each other, the pedal being automatically locked insuch position by the lock thereof. He then pres-ses the pedal 33 tothrow the reversing cone into engagement with the main cones so that thedriving cone 3 will operate through the reversing cone to drive thedriven cone 6 in the opposite direction. It will, of course, beunderstood that the driven shaft e is operatively connected with thedriving wheels of the vehicle, so that the latter will turn in eitherdirection for forward or reverse propulsion.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, the advantages of the construction and of the method ofoperation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to whichthe invention relates, and while l have described the principle ofoperation of the invention, together with the device which l nowconsider to be the best embodiment thereof, l desire to have itunderstood that the apparatus shown is merely illustrative and that suchchanges may be made when desired as are within the scope of theinvention.

That l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. ln a power transmitting mechanism, the combination of a pair ofobliquely arranged shafts mounted for rotation, sliding cones featheredto the shafts, a device operatively connected with both cones forshifting the latter longitudinally in opposite directions, means formovably mounting the device, means operating through the device forholding the cones in frictional engagement, and a controlling means forrendering the lastmentioned means inoperative when it is desired todisengage the cones.

2. ln a power transmitting mechanism, the combination of obliquelyarranged shafts, tapering cones slidably mounted thereon, means forshifting the cones simultaneously in opposite directions, springs actingon the said means to hold the cones frictionally engaged, and acontrolling device connected with the said means for moving the latterin opposition to the springs to disengage the cones.

3. ln a power transmitting mechanism, the combination of coacting cones,a rocker, connections between the ends of the rocker and the respectivecones for shifting the latter in opposite directions, a movable supporton which the rocker is mounted, springs acting on the support andthrough the rocker and the connections between the same and cones forholding the cones frictionally engaged, and manually-controlled meansfor moving the support in opposition to the springs to disengage thecones.

4. In a power transmitting mechanism, the combination of driving anddriven shafts, cones mounted on the shafts and movable longitudinallythereof, guides extending parallel with the shafts and along the sidesof the cones, cone shifting devices movable on the guides and disposedat the sides of the cones, and means for actuating the devices.

5. In a power transmitting mechanism, the combination of driving anddriven shafts, cones mounted on the shafts and movable longitudinallythereof, guides extending parallel with the shafts and wholly to oneside of the cones, cone shifting devices movable on the guides, arocker, and means for connecting the rocker with the devices forsimultaneously shifting the cones.

6. In a power transmitting mechanis1n,the combination of a pair offriction elements having relative longitudinal movements for changingthe speed ratio, shifting devices movable parallel with the aXes of theelements, a lever actuated rock shaft, a mov able support for the shaft,connecting means between the shaft and devices for simultaneouslyshifting the elements in opposite directions, and controllable meanspressing on the support and acting through said connecting means tonormally hold the elements frictionally engaged.

7 In a power transmitting mechanism, the combination of driving anddriven shafts arranged with their axes in converging relation, conesslidably mounted on and rotating with the shafts and tapering in thedirection in which the shafts converge, guide rods disposed in parallelrelation with the shafts, sleeves slidable on the rods, conn-ectionsbetween the sleeves and cones, means for shifting the sleeveslongitudinally to produce like movement of the cones, and means actingthrough the sleeves and connections and also through the shifting meansto yieldingly hold the cones frictionally engaged.

S. In a power transmitting mechanism, the combination of driving anddriven shafts arranged with their axes in obliquely converging relation,cones slidably mounted on and rotating with the shafts and tapering inthe direction in which the shafts converge, and a device for yieldinglyurging both cones in the same direction to hold them engaged, saiddevice including guide rods disposed in parallel relation with theshafts, sleeves slidable on the rods, connections between the sleevesand cones, a controlling shafts, sleeves slidable on the rods,connections between the sleeves and cones, a controlling lever, a rockerconnected therewith, and links connected with the rocker and connectedrespectively with the opposite ends of the sleeves for shifting thecones simultaneously in opposite directions.

l0. In a power transmitting mechanism, the combination of a pair ofcones arranged with their axes at an angle to each other, means forurging the cones longitudinally to maintain their engagement, releasingmeans arranged to oppose the first mentioned means, and a reversing coneadapted to be thrown into engagement with both cones when they arereleased from each other.

l1. In a power transmitting mechanism, the combination of longitudinallyshiftable driving and driven elements, means operatively connected withthe elements for simultaneously shifting them in opposite directions,and yielding means acting through the lirst mentioned means forreleasably holding the cones in frictional engagement.

l2. In a power transmitting mechanism, the combination of cones taperingin the same direction and arranged with their axes converging, a coneshifting change speed mechanism connected with the cones for moving themin opposite directions, means operating through the mechanism to urgethe cones both in the same direction to maintain their frictionalengagement, and a device acting through the mechanism, and in oppositionto the said means for disengaging the cones.

13. In a power transmitting mechanism, the combination of co-actinglongitudinally movable cones, a bodily movable mechanism for shiftingthe cones, tensioning means operating on the mechanism to hold the conesin engagement, and manually actuating means for opposing the firstmentioned means to release the cones.

14. In a. power transmitting mechanism, the combination of co-actinglongitudinally movable cones, a spring-pressed carrier, cone shiftingmeans mounted on the carrier and through which the latter operates tohold the cones in engagement, and a device for moving the carrier torelease the cones from each other.

15. In a power transmitting mechanism, the combination of relativelyshiftable cones,

a carrier movable With respect t-o the cones, in a direction to releasethe cones from each a shifting mechanism mounted on the carother. l0rier for moving the cones to change the In testimony Wliereof afix mysignature speed, springs acting on the carrier to yieldin presence oftwo Witnesses.

ingly hold the saine in a position to main- JOHN O. SCHWARTZ.

tain the cones frictionally engaged, a conl/Vitnesses:

trolling device, and a connection between ED. ISLEY,

the device and carrier for moving` the latter SHERMAN NELIGH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

